Donald Christopher Sisson

Mr. Sisson was born in East Patchogue, New York in 1976. Mr. Sisson attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. While at West Point, Mr. Sisson played Division I college ice hockey. In 1999, Mr. Sisson graduated from West Point with a B.S. in Systems Engineering and a minor in English.

Upon graduation, Mr. Sisson received his commission into the United States Army as a Finance Officer. Mr. Sisson attended the Finance Officer Basic Course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. After his successful completion of the Finance Officer Basic Course, Mr. Sisson was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas where he became the Training and Operations Officer for the 230th Finance Battalion in support of the 4th Infantry Division.

After completing his military service, Mr. Sisson attended law school at the University of Minnesota. During law school, Mr. Sisson received a federal externship with Magistrate Franklin L. Noel of the United States District Court of the District of Minnesota. In addition, Mr. Sisson spent his final semester of law school studying international law at Tilburg University in the Netherlands. After receiving his law degree in 2004, Mr. Sisson moved to Denver, Colorado and started a career in private practice.

For the last several years, Mr. Sisson has represented clients in various courts throughout the country. Mr. Sisson has litigated over 100 cases to verdict, in various venues such as: arbitration forums, administrative panels (including the Career Service Authority and Civil Service Commission), and State and Federal District Courts. His representation of his clients ranged from individuals and small businesses, to very large corporations, in several areas of the law. Mr. Sisson currently serves as General Counsel to the Colorado State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police (“FOP”). The FOP provides representation to over 5,000 law enforcement officers in the State of Colorado, concerning issues including internal affairs investigations, due process rights, civil litigation defense, criminal defense, and collective bargaining rights.

In addition to serving as General Counsel to the Colorado State Lodge, Mr. Sisson serves as General Counsel to four other separate FOP entities, including:

• FOP Labor Council
• FOP Public Safety Awareness Foundation
• FOP Legal Defense Fund
• FOP Small Donor Committee

Mr. Sisson is extremely proud and humbled to be able to provide representation to the largest law enforcement organization in the United States and in the State of Colorado. Mr. Sisson is licensed in the State of Colorado and the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. Mr. Sisson is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, American Bar Association, Denver Bar Association, the Colorado Judicial Institute, and the West Point Society of Denver.

Representative Experience

• Lead counsel in case defending former Brighton Police Officer, Juston Henninger, against 3rd Degree Assault, Harassment and Official Misconduct charges.  Former Officer Henninger was acquitted of all charges after a three (3) hour deliberation. | Read More
• Co-Counsel in representation of exchange fund member in multi-million dollar securities fraud case, which resulted in favorable settlement.
• Lead counsel in representation of Colorado Company, against claims by sales director that he was a 1/3 owner of the company, which resulted in nuisance value settlement.
• Lead counsel in representation of Colorado Insurance Agency against an agent for breach of fiduciary duties, which resulted in six-figure settlement.
• Lead counsel in premise liability action against national company, which resulted in one of the largest Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Verdicts on Record.
• Lead counsel in 1st Amendment Retaliation case against Sheriff Douglas Darr, which resulted in one of the largest awards in Adams County history.
• Co-Counsel in Felony Menacing case against Denver Deputy Sheriff, which resulted inacquittal on three of four charges. The one charge that he was convicted on, was overturned by the Colorado Supreme Court.
• Co-Counsel in 3rd Degree Assault case for Adams County Sheriff’s Deputy, DarinPoole, which resulted in full acquittal.
• Lead counsel in 3rd Degree Assault/Harassment case of Denver Deputy Sheriff, AnneKelly, which resulted in a full acquittal.
• Lead counsel in Appeal of the termination of two Denver Police Officers, JosePalomares & David Torrez, which resulted in reversal of termination by the Civil Service Commission.
• Lead counsel in Breach of Warranty action against multiple national companies, which resulted in favorable settlement.
• Co-Counsel in Federal District Court Jury Trial, which resulted in a multi-milliondollar verdict against Federal Fruit & Produce (one of the largest produce distribution companies in the State of Colorado): Case No. 11-cv-00542-JAP-KLM.
• Lead counsel in multi-million dollar commercial construction defect case, which resulted in a seven-figure settlement one week before trial.
• Lead counsel in several mechanic’s lien cases, which have resulted in favorable outcomes for clients.
• Co-counsel in First Amendment Retaliation case against Pueblo County Sheriff, Kirk Taylor, and the Chain of Command on behalf of Sergeant Thomas McLallen, III, which resulted in a judgment in the amount of $311,, plus attorneys’ fees and costs: Case No. 10-cv-01187-RPM.
• Obtained acquittal in case defending Commerce City Police Officer, Robert Price, against charges of Animal Cruelty (Class 6 Felony).
• Lead counsel in case defending former Adams County Deputy Sheriff, David Morrow, against 1st Degree Assault charges.
• Lead counsel in defending Adams County Deputy Sheriff, Catalin Pavel, against Forgery charges.
• Lead counsel in Class Action/Collective Bargaining Action against the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department for violations of the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) and Breach of Contract.

Areas of Practice

• Complex Civil Litigation
• Construction Law
• Corporate Disputes
• Police Defense

Bar Admissions

• Colorado
• U.S. District Court District of Colorado

Education

• University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Honors: Federal Externship, Moot Court
• Katholicke Universiteit Brabant Faculteit der Rchtsgeleerdheid, Tilburg, Netherlands
• United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
  • B.S.
  • Major: Systems Engineering
  • Minor: English

Honors and Awards

• Super Lawyers Rising Star List , 2013 and 2014

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Colorado Bar Association, Member
• American Bar Association, Member
• West Point Society, Member